As a part of the CDFA requirements for becoming registered as sources of California Foundation stock, Foundation vineyard vines which have tested negative for virus disease on all CDFA-prescribed tests are visually inspected by a professional grape variety expert for trueness to variety.  This work normally takes place approximately two years after a vine is planted when it begins to fruit.   If, in the expert's opinion, the vine characteristics match the standard characteristics for the labeled variety, it can be registered.   Foundation vineyard vines found to be misidentified cannot be registered, and are marked for removal.

  Variety experts from the UCD Viticulture and Enology Department, most notably Dr. M. Andrew Walker, donate large amounts of time to help check the accuracy of varietal identification in the Foundation vineyard blocks.  Recently, biochemical methods have been used together with visual inspections to determine the varietal identity for a small number of Foundation mother vines.  Use of biochemical methods is expected to increase in the future.  At this time there are no visual or biochemical methods for checking the accuracy of a grapevine's clonal identity.

  FPS has an ongoing program to find and hire internationally recognized grape variety experts to come to Davis and inspect the grapevine Foundation blocks.  To date, experts from France and Italy have reviewed these blocks and reported on their findings.  Funding for this work is provided by the California Fruit Tree, Nut Tree, and Grapevine Improvement Advisory Board.  The expertise of additional grape variety experts will be solicited in the future.

  Although FPS makes every effort to ensure that its materials are accurately identified, propagators working with FPS materials are responsible for verifying that varietal identity is correct in their own plantings before making subsequent propagations.   FPS can provide referrals to experts in this area.